Bubba-Joe
09-08-2005, 01:50 PM
SW-Greenwood again qualifies as top matchup
By RON HOWELL/Reporter Sports Editor
One team is coming off a 21-point loss in its season opener, while the other is off to a 2-0 start.
But Friday's 7:30 p.m. game between Sweetwater and Greenwood at Mustang Bowl is still one of the best rivalries in West Texas. Friday's contest, in fact, is considered by a certain publication to the east as the top game in this area.
And don't think for a moment that Sweetwater head coach Kent Jackson -- whose team's last defeat at the Bowl was against Greenwood in 2003 -- isn't ap-proaching this year's game against the Rangers quite seriously. "They (Green-wood) have always played hard and done good things," he said Wednesday. "(New head football) coach (Steve) Taylor does everything top notch, and I know playing them will help us step our game up."
Jackson knows that, because the game is part of the first Sammy Baugh Classic named for the legendary former Sweet-water and NFL quarterback, his team will be playing in front of a number of fans that don't normally follow the Mustangs. "It's a chance for more people to be here to watch us," he said. "It increases the chance for (having) a big crowd, and that's always nice to see."
No. 5-ranked Sweetwater comes in as a big favorite after starting the year with dominating wins over Lubbock Cooper (40-6) and San Angelo Lake View (40-0). Greenwood, which didn't start its sea-son until last week, fell to 10th-ranked Abilene Wylie 35-14 in its opener.
Sweetwater routed Greenwood, 52-25, in last year's contest, but the teams' overall series is deadlocked 3-3 since they be-gan playing each other regularly in 2000 and the Rangers had won three straight over the Mustangs prior to this past sea-son, including once in the playoffs.
Greenwood, like Lake View, is playing Sweetwater one week after facing Wylie.
The Rangers put up some respectable stats against the Bulldogs, with 156 yards rushing and 111 passing, but didn't score until after Wylie had built a commanding 28-0 halftime lead. Greenwood's touch-downs came on a 33-yard pass from Col-ton Wilber to Lane Flowers and a 10-yard run by Bryce Williams. Wilber, the brother of ex-Greenwood QB Dawson Wilber, completed 6 of 14 passes and Williams rushed for 99 yards on 16 carries.
Greenwood was penalized 15 times for 106 yards against Wylie, but Jackson at-tributes some of that to having opening-game nervousness.
"They had some first game jitters, but we did too," he said. "They are very fun-damentally sound and play hard-nosed football. They do a good job on both sides of the ball."
By RON HOWELL/Reporter Sports Editor
One team is coming off a 21-point loss in its season opener, while the other is off to a 2-0 start.
But Friday's 7:30 p.m. game between Sweetwater and Greenwood at Mustang Bowl is still one of the best rivalries in West Texas. Friday's contest, in fact, is considered by a certain publication to the east as the top game in this area.
And don't think for a moment that Sweetwater head coach Kent Jackson -- whose team's last defeat at the Bowl was against Greenwood in 2003 -- isn't ap-proaching this year's game against the Rangers quite seriously. "They (Green-wood) have always played hard and done good things," he said Wednesday. "(New head football) coach (Steve) Taylor does everything top notch, and I know playing them will help us step our game up."
Jackson knows that, because the game is part of the first Sammy Baugh Classic named for the legendary former Sweet-water and NFL quarterback, his team will be playing in front of a number of fans that don't normally follow the Mustangs. "It's a chance for more people to be here to watch us," he said. "It increases the chance for (having) a big crowd, and that's always nice to see."
No. 5-ranked Sweetwater comes in as a big favorite after starting the year with dominating wins over Lubbock Cooper (40-6) and San Angelo Lake View (40-0). Greenwood, which didn't start its sea-son until last week, fell to 10th-ranked Abilene Wylie 35-14 in its opener.
Sweetwater routed Greenwood, 52-25, in last year's contest, but the teams' overall series is deadlocked 3-3 since they be-gan playing each other regularly in 2000 and the Rangers had won three straight over the Mustangs prior to this past sea-son, including once in the playoffs.
Greenwood, like Lake View, is playing Sweetwater one week after facing Wylie.
The Rangers put up some respectable stats against the Bulldogs, with 156 yards rushing and 111 passing, but didn't score until after Wylie had built a commanding 28-0 halftime lead. Greenwood's touch-downs came on a 33-yard pass from Col-ton Wilber to Lane Flowers and a 10-yard run by Bryce Williams. Wilber, the brother of ex-Greenwood QB Dawson Wilber, completed 6 of 14 passes and Williams rushed for 99 yards on 16 carries.
Greenwood was penalized 15 times for 106 yards against Wylie, but Jackson at-tributes some of that to having opening-game nervousness.
"They had some first game jitters, but we did too," he said. "They are very fun-damentally sound and play hard-nosed football. They do a good job on both sides of the ball."